AWKWARD MOMENTS
by DarkflamesSolitude
Summary: Take a very hide-your-feelings girl like Sango. Add a scheming Kagome, a hot spring, a perverted monk, strawberries and coolwhip... and WHAM! You've got a day chalk full of awkward moments! Poor Sango... - one-shot SangoMiroku! Enjoy!


Disclaimer: A DISclaimer on a FANfic. Think about it. ^.~  
  
Hiya ppls! ^-~ Just a quick ficcy from DFS! Enjoy!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
~*~ AWKWARD MOMENTS ~*~  
  
Sango knew it was that sort of day from the moment she woke up. She could just FEEL it. It was going to be one of those days when she screwed up, or did something that she would regret for the rest of her existence. Yup, she knew it. Not that she was exactly great in the sixth sense department, but she could still tell it was going to happen.  
  
Not that waking up from a particularly nasty nightmare to find the monk an inch from her face had clued her in or anything.  
  
Sango stared up into the deep violet eyes quietly for a second, her face slowly turning red. Then she snapped.  
  
"Ahhh!! Get away, get away, get away!!"  
  
Miroku jumped back, a stricken look on his face, as Sango clambered to her feet and glared at him, shaking her fist threateningly.  
  
"I swear, Houshi-sama, if you EVER bring your perverted hands near me while I'm sleeping AGAIN...!" Sango let the threat hang in the air, her eyes narrowed. Miroku, of course, looked completely innocent.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about, Sango. You were really pale, and Kagome suggested that maybe we should check your temperature, so I was leaning over to do just that-"  
  
"What?!" Sango interrupted. Would Kagome have really given Miroku PERMISSION to get within groping range? Sango glanced at Kagome, who was sitting near the fire and rolling her eyes. She had bits of leaves in her hair from sleeping on the ground, since they hadn't been able to find a town before night came.  
  
"I admit, I DID say someone should check her temperature..." Kagome snorted as Sango shot her a penetrating glare, "But I didn't mean for YOU to do it, Miroku!"  
  
Miroku did his best to put on a hurt expression. "I don't see why I should be so discriminated against by you two," He pouted, "After all, with two such pretty ladies around, I can hardly be blamed for sneaking a feel every once in-"  
  
**SMACK** **SMACK**  
  
Miroku never got to finish his sentence. Before he knew it, he was laying on his back on the ground with a red mark on both cheeks. Sango and Kagome folded their arms, and Kagome stomped back towards the fire.  
  
"But I didn't DO anything..." Miroku complained weakly, his eyebrow twitching.  
  
"Can it, Monk," InuYasha grumbled as he entered the small camp, coming back from his morning patrol. He saw Shippou curled up on Kagome's sleeping bag and kicked him awake.  
  
"Hey!" The kitsune shrieked indignantly, ready to go into a tantrum- but stopped immediately when he saw Kagome extracting food from her huge pack. His eyes lit up.  
  
"Didya bring chocolate, Kagome? Didya? Didya? Lemme see!"  
  
Sango chuckled, watching as InuYasha sat down like a puppy by Kagome's side, eyeing her pack for hints of any ramen. 'Can it' was a phrase he had picked up from Kagome, Sango knew. She glanced down at Kirara, who was curled up on the corner of the sleeping bag Kagome had let her borrow, and decided to let her sleep. Kirara could be very grumpy if she didn't get enough sleep, and Sango didn't want a new set of scratches to add to her already bad day.  
  
Miroku was just sitting up as the demon exterminator started towards the fire to join the others. Sango stumbled as she began to walk, realizing her foot was caught on something. Twisting her head to glance back, she saw that her foot was caught on her own sleeping bag. Unfortunately, the effort to glance back made Sango lose her balance (since she was only standing on one foot) and she fell sideways. Sango braced herself for impact, but her body never hit the ground. Instead, she fell straight into the groggy monk's lap.  
  
Sango twitched, her face growing red as she found herself staring at Miroku from a position that was too close for comfort. The monk seemed surprised for a second, but then his eyes took on a perverted gleam. His hand moved a centimeter-  
  
**SMACK**  
  
"Hentai! Lech! PERVERT!!" Sango shouted as many insults as she could, her face burning as she jumped to her feet. Miroku was once again on his back, an even darker red mark on one of his cheeks and a dazed look in his eyes.  
  
"YOU landed on ME! I didn't DO anything!" He complained.  
  
"It was in your eyes, Houshi-sama! Come near me again today, and I will personally see to removing something I think you'll dearly miss!"  
  
"But Sango-"  
  
"Shut-up."  
  
Miroku sat up, sending Sango a disgruntled glare as he rubbed his cheek. The demon exterminator ignored him completely, stomping over to the fire and sitting down next to Kagome, who was already giggling. InuYasha just 'feh'ed the situation away, grabbing for one of the ramen cups in Kagome's pack. She smacked his hand away, glaring.  
  
"I've got riceballs for breakfast, InuYasha! I already told you ramen's not for breakfast!"  
  
(Actually, I'm not sure if riceballs are either ^-^;;)  
  
"You also said chocolate wasn't for breakfast!" InuYasha shot back angrily, jabbing his finger in the direction of a certain young kitsune, who was happily munching down on candybars. Kagome sweat-dropped.  
  
"It was the only way I could keep him from tearing my pack to bits!"  
  
"What if I threaten to tear your pack to bits?" InuYasha growled, raising one clawed hand above the bulging item. Kagome cheerfully started passing out riceballs.  
  
"Then you'll just have to carry everything for me, won't you?"  
  
InuYasha eyed the backpack's bulging contents, then shot Kagome a glare that she pretended to ignore. Sango refused to pay attention to either of them, staring deep into the burning flames of the fire with a glare that could kill. She didn't even notice the riceball that she was slowly squeezing to pieces in her hands.  
  
She had a headache.  
  
Her hand stung from slapping Miroku.  
  
The monk had been hit three times already that morning, and he had yet to even grope.  
  
It was DEFINITELY going to be one of those days.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
An hour later found Sango and Kagome sitting peacefully in a nearby hotspring, which they had been lucky to find. Kirara sat on the nearby bank, washing herself with her tongue, while Sango and Kagome sat shoulder- deep in the hot water, their backs resting against rocks. Kagome was in the middle of telling Sango a very interesting story about how they bathe in her time.  
  
"A miniature hot spring inside each house?" Sango asked, impressed. Kagome grinned, like she always did when telling them about the future's vast technology.  
  
"Yup, except they're not really hot springs. We sort of invented a way to bring the water to us, and heat it up ourselves."  
  
"All that work?" Sango said, wrinkling her nose, "Sounds hard."  
  
Kagome laughed. "Not really, WE don't do any of the work. Pipes and machinery-"  
  
Kagome stopped as they both heard the faint sound of a twig snapping. Kagome quickly ducked down so that her chin was touching the water, while Sango automatically jumped out of the spring and wrapped one of Kagome's cloth's around her. (She called it a 'towel') Sango was not in such a good mood, and if she found a peeping tom, he wouldn't be in a good mood either.  
  
"Sango?" Kagome called, confused, "What are you doing?"  
  
"Hunting!" She called back, picking up a nearby rock. After only a couple steps she threw it into a nearby cluster of trees. To her satisfaction, she heard a loud 'thwack', and an 'OW!'.  
  
Seconds later Miroku stumbled out of the bushes, a huge bump on his head, and fell against Sango. His face landed in her cleavage.  
  
Sango's eyebrow twitched.  
  
Her skin flushed a deep red.  
  
**SMACK**  
  
"PERVERT!"  
  
**SMACK**  
  
"HENTAI!!"  
  
Miroku fell to the ground with even redder cheeks than before, his eyes dazed and dancing with stars. Sango kicked him disgustedly, her cheeks still burning, and turned to see Kagome standing next to her, wrapped in a towel as well. The girl looked at Miroku suspiciously.  
  
"How did he get out of the camp?"  
  
Sango and Kagome frowned at the same time, and Kagome said, "Sit."  
  
A red form hurdled from the treetops to the ground amid a cloud of curses to land with a 'thump' next to Miroku. Kagome's face turned bright red.  
  
"I knew it! What are you doing here you ANIMAL?!"  
  
Miroku still had stars in his eyes, and InuYasha looked pissed.  
  
"I wasn't spying on you, bitch! I was following this pervert! He snuck off when I wasn't looking!"  
  
"I'm sure," Kagome said icily, still glaring at him. InuYasha looked like he was about to make some outstanding comeback, but in the end he just said, "Feh."  
  
"Sango... my face... a towel..." Miroku said dreamily, a perverted smile on his face. Sango grew ten shades redder and slammed her foot down on Miroku's head. The monk didn't say anything else after that.  
  
"If you'll excuse us," Sango said angrily.  
  
"We have to get back to our bath," Kagome finished, still staring at InuYasha hard, "And if you or Miroku come near us again, I'll s-word you ten times and you won't get ANY ramen!"  
  
The horror in InuYasha's expression would have made Sango laugh if she had been in the mood. Both girls waited until InuYasha had dragged the unconscious monk away before they turned and stepped back into the hot spring. Kagome promised Sango that next time she would remember to bring bathing suits for both of them. That only made Sango halfway relieved. She doubted that Houshi-sama's expression would have been any different if there had been a towel or a bathing suit. Miroku was a pervert to the end.  
  
By the bank of the hot spring, Kirara continued with her cleaning as if nothing had happened.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"What?!" Sango exclaimed for the fifth time, her voice hoarse. Kagome glanced at her friend sorrowfully, but continued.  
  
"I'm sorry Sango, but we've got to do it. InuYasha and I have been talking about it all morning, and we've decided it has to be done."  
  
"You and InuYasha actually had a conversation?" Sango asked dumbly, more surprised by that fact than what Kagome was telling her. Miroku made a noise that almost sounded like a snicker, and InuYasha glared.  
  
"Feh."  
  
"Anyway," Kagome continued, oblivious, "As I was trying to say, InuYasha and I have to go back to the village, but we want you two to stay here and head on to the next town."  
  
"You said that already," Sango said impatiently, "But WHY?!"  
  
"I'm going with Kagome!" Shippou said sternly, placing himself in the basket on Kagome's bike. Everyone sweat-dropped, but Kagome didn't argue- though InuYasha did shoot the kitsune quite a couple dirty looks. Kagome turned back to Sango.  
  
"There's an honor ceremony I have to attend at my school, that I just remembered this morning. I'm required to be there."  
  
Sango cocked her head, "And InuYasha agreed to this?"  
  
Now Kagome looked completely miserable, "InuYasha's coming with me."  
  
InuYasha frowned, turning his glare on Kagome- but she wasn't paying attention. Shippou folded his arms in the basket. "I'm going too!"  
  
Once again, no one argued. Sango supposed Kagome didn't figure it could get any worse if she brought Shippou along. Sango knew her friend loved InuYasha, but even she knew that dragging a hot-tempered hanyou around in a time that didn't believe in demons and such was a bad idea. This honor ceremony must be really important.  
  
Sango sighed. "Alright, we'll meet you at the next town in a couple days."  
  
Kagome smiled, "Great! I'm going to leave some food with you guys! And I have a special treat..." Her eyes twinkled, "Coolwhip and strawberries!"  
  
Miroku and Sango blinked, then glanced at each other. Miroku was the first to speak.  
  
"Er. what's coolwhip?"  
  
Kagome grinned merrily, and dug through her pack.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
By late afternoon, Sango and Miroku were still walking down the beaten trail towards the next town. They wouldn't reach it that night, but it was best to get as far as possible. Kirara spent her time jumping in and out of the nearby trees, batting playfully at dry leaves, and generally staying out of Miroku and Sango's way. Which left Sango with nothing to do except wander around in her own thoughts, and make sure she stayed at least an arms-length away from the monk.  
  
Sango didn't hate Miroku. In fact, she had grown quite fond of the lech, despite his... er... habits. But on days like this, when anything could go wrong, Sango had to be extra careful. There was no way that Miroku was going to catch her in any more awkward situations. Sango was determined that the rest of the day was going to be good, no matter what.  
  
Or at least, she was determined until Miroku decided to break her train of thought by stepping into what she had claimed as her personal space. Sango shot him a glance, and realized that he was already staring at her. In fact, even as she shifted a bit farther away, he was still staring at her. Hard.  
  
"Houshi-sama?" She finally said, "Is something wrong?"  
  
"..." Miroku kept staring awhile longer, then turned back towards the road. His expression was blank.  
  
"Houshi-sama?" Sango prodded, her tone now curious. She turned back to him, forgetting the whole 'personal space' issue. "Are you okay?"  
  
He looked at her again, his eyes digging into hers as if he were trying to find the answer to some deep, dark secret. Finally he sighed.  
  
"Are you afraid of me, Sango?"  
  
The demon exterminator blinked, surprised.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Are you afraid of me?" Miroku repeated, still looking at her intently, "You've been edging away from me the whole time we've been walking."  
  
Sango quirked her lips, rolling her eyes. "I'm not afraid of you Houshi- sama, but there are very good reasons to not get too close to you."  
  
Suddenly Miroku's hand rose, and Sango jumped back on reflex. His hand, however, remained in mid air, and he had stopped walking. The monk's expression was grim.  
  
"I promise no more groping for the rest of this trip unless you want me to. Alright?"  
  
Sango took his hand cautiously, feeling as awkward as she had been feeling all day, but his voice was genuine. She laughed, shaking his hand. "I doubt I'll want you to Houshi-sama, sorry."  
  
Then she whacked him over the head with her boomerang bone. Miroku fell to the ground, swirly-eyed.  
  
"And that," She said triumphantly, "was for spying on me while I was bathing!"  
  
Kirara meowed in cheerful agreement from nearby.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
(A quick flash to InuYasha and Kagome ^-^)  
  
Kagome giggled for the third time in ten minutes, lost in thought. InuYasha glanced over at her, determined to act annoyed.  
  
"What's so funny, wench?" He didn't quite succeed in keeping the curiosity out of his voice. Kagome laughed again, checking to make sure Shippou was asleep in her bicycle basket.  
  
"I was just thinking about Miroku and Sango," She admitted. InuYasha raised an eyebrow suspiciously.  
  
"What's so funny about them?"  
  
"I gave them coolwhip and strawberries," She answered, as if that was supposed to explain everything. InuYasha heaved an annoyed sigh.  
  
"What's so funny about those two and coolwhip and strawberries?"  
  
Kagome grinned excitedly, "They're really good, but that's not it. In my time, sometimes coolwhip and strawberries, or chocolate, stuff like that... can be used as... as..." InuYasha watched with interest as Kagome's face turned slightly red.  
  
"Yes?" He prompted.  
  
"As... sensual food," Kagom finished lamely, lost on how to explain it to InuYasha. For his part, however, InuYasha had already guessed.  
  
"I doubt that's what Miroku and Sango will use it for."  
  
"Well, Miroku, with his perverted mind..." Kagome continued hopefully.  
  
InuYasha decided to be blunt. "Sango would kill him before he got within two feet."  
  
Kagome sighed resignedly. "It was fun thinking about, at least."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Sango stoked the fire gently, sending bright embers up into the evening air. She had been feeling a bit better after her agreement with Miroku. So far, the monk hadn't even come close enough to grope her (though that could have been because she had hit him over the head). Now both of them were sitting around the fire Sango had started, too tired to go any further. Sango watched as Miroku removed some food items from a sack he had managed to scrounge up. Both their eyes landed on the containers of strawberries and coolwhip. Kagome had explained that they should be dipped into the coolwhip, and then eaten. Miroku and Sango glanced at each other quickly, and with an unspoken agreement, put all the other food back in the sack.  
  
Sango's first taste of strawberry was wonderful. She had never really eaten strawberries before, though she knew they were a fruit. They were sweet and juicy, and Sango almost forgot to add the coolwhip to her second strawberry. But the coolwhip tasted good too.  
  
Sango happily picked up a very large strawberry, then glanced over at Miroku. He looked like a little kid, happily eating the fruit. Sango held back a laugh just as Miroku glanced up. He sent her a quizzical look, and Sango decided to be truthful.  
  
"You look like a little kid, Houshi-sama, just sitting there eating those strawberries. It's cute."  
  
Did she just say cute? And was it her imagination, or was Miroku blushing? Great, she had just managed to bring another strange situation upon herself. She decided to change the subject fast.  
  
"Alas, it's all ruined when one remembers you're a pervert."  
  
Miroku didn't seem to hear what she said, or maybe he didn't care. Instead, he popped another strawberry in his mouth. Sango looked at the big one in her hand and then shrugged, dipping it into the container of cream. Then she bit into it. Sango heard Miroku laugh, and looked up.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You've got something on your nose."  
  
Sango crossed her eyes trying to look down at her nose, still holding the half-eaten strawberry in one hand. Miroku laughed even harder. Sango had never heard Miroku laugh before, and almost laughed herself. She could sort of see the blot of cream on the tip of her nose. Before she could wipe it off, however, a surprising thing happened.  
  
Miroku scrambled over, leaning in so close that Sango's heart started to pound, and licked the coolwhip off the tip of her nose. With a grin, he rubbed the rest off with his hand wrapped in prayer beads, and winked at her.  
  
The demon exterminator could already feel her cheeks burning, curse them. Luckily the blush was hidden in the glow of the fire, but what disturbed Sango the most was that Miroku didn't seem to be moving. His face was only a foot away, and he had a strange look in his eyes. Sango found herself staring deep into those violet orbs, hypnotized, but the moment Miroku moved his hand she jumped back and got to her feet.  
  
Miroku looked surprised as he slowly drew his hand back. For Sango's part, she knew he had not had the intention of groping her. She had seen it in his eyes, and that was what had scared her. No boy or man had ever stared at her like that before, and to tell the truth- even though she would only admit it to herself- she was terrified of that. Almost especially from Miroku. He was a monk and a lech, right? He asked almost every pretty girl he came by to bear his kid. Was this a game to him? Was this how he won the hearts of all the other girls he met? What he was doing didn't make sense, and it was eating her up inside. She backed up and threw the half-eaten strawberry away.  
  
"I'm going for a walk, Houshi-sama. I'll be back later."  
  
Miroku looked even more surprised, and a new emotion seemed to spring into his eyes. "Sango, wait-"  
  
"Don't follow me, Houshi-sama."  
  
"No, I have to say-"  
  
"I don't want to hear it."  
  
Suddenly Sango heard running behind her, and before she could do anything Miroku was standing in front of her, his staff held out to block her path. His eyes were burning angrily when he spoke.  
  
"Please listen to me, Sango!"  
  
Sango was speechless for a second, searching the deep depth's of his eyes for answers. Miroku had never acted like this around her before, not once. Even though she figured it would probably be easy to slip away from him right now, it would only be running from her problem... and she'd have to come back sometime, wouldn't she? She decided to hear the monk out.  
  
"Alright Houshi-sama," Sango said with a sigh, "What do you want to say?"  
  
Miroku ran a hand through his hair, lowering his staff and looking a bit relieved. Sango could hear the anger and desperation in his voice when he spoke. "It's really a question."  
  
Sango nodded her go-ahead, teeth clenched. If that perverted monk even tried asking her to bear his child, she'd-  
  
"Do you hate me?"  
  
"Wha-?!?!" Sango exclaimed, taken off guard. Miroku grabbed her shoulders as if he were afraid she was about to try and run away.  
  
"Listen to me, please! I've been trying to figure it out all day... why you kept flinching away from me whenever I showed up. If I get just an inch closer to you, you jump away. At first I thought it was because you were afraid of me... I am a lech after all." Miroku coughed guilty, winking. Sango raised an eyebrow, amused that the monk could call himself a pervert without shame, and Miroku continued. "But you told me it's not that. What IS it, Sango? Do you hate me?"  
  
Sango stared at him a moment, eyes wide. Hate him? She didn't even have to think about it to know she didn't! Hate wasn't even close to what she felt! Not only did she consider Miroku a good friend, but sometimes she had to fight an attraction to him as well. The monk, however, WAS a pervert. and she couldn't imagine him ever staying with just one person, especially her. She wasn't by far as pretty as the frail, gentle women the monk usually chased. Not only that, but they were in the middle of a hunt for Naraku, and the rest of the shikon shards. There was no way she could fall for ANYBODY until her village was avenged.  
  
"Houshi-sama," Sango said, brushing off Miroku's hands with a laugh, "Relax, I don't hate you. I think of you as a friend."  
  
"You do?" He asked, his tone coolly skeptic, "Then why do you always call me 'Houshi-sama'?"  
  
(Note: most of you probably know this, but for those who don't. Houshi-sama means Lord Monk. It's Sango-chan's over-formal way of addressing our favorite lech ^-~ hehe!)  
  
"I... just... do." Sango said lamely, sweat-dropping. The real explanation was something she would have too hard a time trying to explain to Miroku. It was her way, in her mind, for keeping him at a safe distance. Start calling him by his name, and before you know it she might actually fall for him... which was something she couldn't do. She wouldn't allow herself to.  
  
This situation, which had been awkward from the start, was now getting even more uncomfortable.  
  
"Ok... then, you don't hate me, right?" He said slowly, his look growing determined. Sango found him gripping her shoulders again. She smiled in consent, hoping to get away from all this as soon as possible. His deep violet eyes were already starting to entrance her, and she wondered if the sudden wave of giddy nervousness in her body was caused by lack of sleep... or maybe it was the effect of the strange food Kagome had given them. Yes, that had to be it.  
  
"That's right, I don't hate you Houshi-sama."  
  
"Then say my name."  
  
Sango glanced down a second, her shoulders drooping, then looked back up at the monk. She cocked her head to one side.  
  
"Alright. Miroku, I don't hate you."  
  
Even as she said his name, Sango felt the dreaded blush creeping on to her cheeks. She hadn't meant to say his name like that! She had meant to say it casually, but instead it had come out all soft and whispery, sweet and foreign on her tongue. Sango had to mentally hit herself. Was he going to make fun of her for the way she had said his name? Already Miroku's eyes were growing darker, and his grip was hardening.  
  
"Then please don't hate me after I do this," Miroku whispered, his voice dripping with fire. Suddenly Miroku's lips were on hers, the warmth burning through her skin. She heard the soft thud as his staff fell to the ground, and strong arms dragged her closer. Sango didn't know what to do, too stunned as Miroku's mouth pressed possessively against hers, as if this one short kiss was the world to him and he didn't want to give it up. Then just as quickly he pulled away, leaving Sango with flushed cheeks and wide eyes. He still had her wrapped tightly in his arms, his hands no where near groping. Miroku's face was close, and for the first time Sango saw the longing in those violet depths... a longing that almost swallowed her with it.  
  
"I..." Miroku stumbled, shaking his head. Once again his mask was up. "I'm sorry, Sango, I shouldn't have done that. You have every right to slap me."  
  
He released her and turned his head to the side, his shoulders drooping and his head lowered slightly. Sango could almost see the despair in his eyes as he closed them and waited patiently for the impending attack.  
  
The demon exterminator stared at him a short moment, touching her warm lips softly where his mouth had just been. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, mixed with all the confusion and chaos swirling around her thoughts. Then Sango silently walked away, her hand still to her lips. When Miroku opened his eyes, Sango was gone. The monk let out a soft curse, clenching his fists tightly as he picked up his staff and headed slowly back towards the fire.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Sango stopped after she had only been walking a couple minutes, staring up through the trees at the darkness that was slowly taking over the forest. Her heart was still beating out of control, but her thoughts were beginning to slow down a bit, enough for her to think.  
  
That had been her first kiss. Miroku had kissed her.  
  
No, he hadn't only kissed her. He had let open a part of himself that Sango had never seen before, a part that she was sure he had meant to keep hidden.  
  
All because she had said his name?  
  
'This is so confusing!' Sango thought, letting herself drop to her knees on the dry forest floor, 'Does he like me? Or did he just kiss me because he's a pervert? He DID apologize... does that mean it was a mistake?'  
  
Sitting there for awhile, Sango felt another kind of pain rip through her heart. She had left him there... without even a word. She had had a choice... she could have slapped him, or even just laughed it off. Maybe she could have even asked him why he had done it. Instead, she had turned coward and walked away, leaving him there by himself to listen to the silence. She hadn't meant to do that to Miroku... just like he probably hadn't meant to do that to her. Her heart called out towards the monk, but was only met with the silence of a sleeping forest.  
  
Something occurred to Sango. Even as it turned to night, her day's bad luck hadn't ended. She had been right about it all along... this would be a day where she would do something she knew she would regret forever.  
  
Sango stood up  
  
She wasn't going to let this day end the way it had started.  
  
Making her way back through the trees, the first thing Sango saw when she reached the camp was Miroku. He was sitting cross-legged in front of the fire, his back leaning against a tree. His shoulders were slumped, and his head was leaning gently against his up-righted staff. Right then, his eyes seemed angry and lost, reflecting the flames of the fire they stared into. The moment he realized Sango was there, however, the look was erased. He nodded to acknowledge her presence, his eyes never leaving the fire.  
  
A little nervous but still determined, Sango made her way carefully over to where Miroku was sitting, planting herself firmly in front of him. After a moment Miroku's gaze traveled upwards to meet hers, his expression subdued.  
  
"Something wrong, Sango?"  
  
Sango almost flinched at the coldness in his voice, but didn't back down.  
  
"I'm sorry Houshi-sama."  
  
Miroku looked surprised by her apology, but Sango was already cursing herself inside. She had started this wrong! She had meant to call him by his first name, but her usual name for him had slipped out on accident. She mustered the courage to continue.  
  
"I shouldn't have walked away from you, that was wrong. I should have said something, or-"  
  
"Or hit me," Miroku put in, unsuccessful in keeping the bitterness out of his voice.  
  
"Or hit you," Sango agreed reluctantly, dropping to her knees in front of the monk so that they were eye level. "I'm sorry."  
  
Miroku was quiet for a moment, staring at Sango. Finally he spoke, "Your eyes are beautiful, so full of stars."  
  
Sango was caught off guard again, almost cursing as she flushed a deep red. Miroku shook his head sharply, seeming to snap out of it.  
  
"Sorry! I'm sorry, Sango!" He dropped his staff as he grabbed his head, squeezing his eyes shut. Finally he looked back up at Sango, his eyes desperate. "Just slap me, alright? Make me stop. that's all I need you to do."  
  
Suddenly it hit Sango. the realization that she hadn't picked up on before. She and Miroku had a game- a game where he groped and she slapped. A game that kept them both away from each other, physically and mentally. But Miroku had broken the rules of the game by kissing her, and the only way to set the game right was for her to slap him. That was what they were both waiting for... it was what had to be done. As soon as she did it, they would be back to the way they were before. He would grope, she would slap, and they would never have to deal with their feelings so up close and personal ever again.  
  
As Sango raised her hand, Miroku turned his head slightly and closed his eyes obediently. This was the way it had to be.  
  
After a short pause, Sango slowly dropped her hand. She couldn't do it. She couldn't hit him. She couldn't bring herself to set the game back to rights. She didn't know for certain why she couldn't do it, but slapping Miroku hadn't been her intention for coming back anyway. That wasn't how she wanted to end her day. With a defeated sigh, Sango leaned forward and gave the monk a gentle hug, unaware as his eyes flew open in shock.  
  
"I wasn't done with my apology, Miroku- forgive me?"  
  
There, she had said his name. Once again, it hadn't come out as casual as she had hoped it would, but it had come out just the same. As Sango was about to pull away, Miroku wrapped his arms around her tightly, pulling her closer and burying his face into the side of her neck. She could feel their pounding hearts beating against each other, Miroku's warm breath tickling her skin. Sango could almost hear Miroku's unspoken thoughts.  
  
'Don't make me let go... please, don't pull away Sango...'  
  
Miroku's arms were wrapped around her so tightly that she could barely breath, as if he wanted to hold her and the moment with him forever. That was all the reassurance Sango needed.  
  
"Yes, then?" She asked.  
  
Miroku's 'yes' was muffled in the side of her neck, almost making her laugh from the tickling sensation. Slowly Sango began to pull away, and Miroku's arms reluctantly loosened to let her. As soon as he lifted his head to look at her, however, she stopped and grabbed his face, kissing him square on the lips. With an impish grin she pulled away before he could do anything and made to stand up.  
  
Just as she turned around she felt hands drag her back down, and somehow found herself sitting on Miroku's lap. He chuckled as he rested his chin on her shoulder, arms wrapped around her stomach tightly.  
  
"Houshi-sama?" Sango asked, blinking.  
  
"Don't start calling me that now," Miroku said almost cheerfully.  
  
"Fine. Miroku. What are you DOING?"  
  
"Sitting like this until you tell me why you did that."  
  
Sango crossed her arms, leaning back on the monk. "Then you're just going to have to get used to being a seat."  
  
"You won't tell me?" He asked softly in her ear, making her shiver. His voice was husky and sweet.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because you still haven't told me why you kissed me. So I'm not gonna tell you."  
  
"I'll tell you," Miroku whispered, making his way up her neck with small butterfly kisses. Sango shivered again.  
  
"Fine, tell me."  
  
He stopped at her jawline, lips still pressed against her skin. "I love you." He said simply.  
  
Sango was more than a little shocked. She had guessed that he liked her a bit, but LOVED?? He LOVED her?? And what made it worse was she still wasn't sure why she had kissed him. Gathering up her courage, she finally spoke.  
  
"Then I might love you too."  
  
"Might?" He asked impishly.  
  
"Might." Sango agreed, laughing at her own strange answer. When she tried to get up, however, he still held her down.  
  
"Hey!" She frowned, elbowing him a bit, "You have to let me up now!"  
  
"Nope. First you have to give me one more kiss."  
  
"You didn't say that before!"  
  
"I know," He said happily, "I just made it up now."  
  
"Hmph," Sango said, crossing her arms again, "Why would I kiss you?"  
  
"Because I asked you to?" He wondered, kissing her neck again.  
  
"Nope, not good enough."  
  
"Because you want to?" He whispered, his warm breath taunting her skin. Sango shook her head playfully.  
  
"Now why would I want to?"  
  
"Because you MIGHT love me." Miroku said softly, taking her ear gently between his teeth and nibbling. Finally Sango laughed, twisting around in his grip to face him.  
  
"Fine, you win-"  
  
Before she could finish, Miroku lunged forward and took possession of her lips, grabbing the sides of her face. Caught off guard, Sango fell backwards- and found herself lying on her back on the ground, Miroku straddling her hips as he continued the kiss. Fire burned between them as Sango wrapped her arms around his neck, finally kissing back. And after that, all she was aware of was Miroku.  
  
She had promised herself she wouldn't fall in love with anyone, ESPECIALLY Miroku. Fate works in funny ways, doesn't it? Especially on weird days when awkward moments seem to pop up right and left.  
  
By the fire, Kirara finished licking up the last of the coolwhip, completely ignoring her master and the monk. Their antics were of no interest to her in the least. With a yawn, the cat demon curled up by the fire and went to sleep.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
(Haha, just for fun- IN THE VILLAGE, AS KAGOME, SHIPPO, AND INUYASHA ARE ABOUT TO ENTER THE WELL ^-~)  
  
"Hmm..." Kagome wondered aloud, glancing back at InuYasha, "What do you think?"  
  
InuYasha frowned, "What do I think about what?"  
  
"About Miroku and Sango!" Kagome sang happily, coming to a stop in front of the well, "Don't you think they'd make a great couple?!"  
  
"You've been going on about them all day," InuYasha growled, sweat- dropping, "I don't see what would be so great about them."  
  
"They're perfect for each other!" Kagome insisted, stamping her foot, "They're always teasing each other-"  
  
"You mean Miroku groping is called 'teasing'?" Shippo asked, glancing at InuYasha for answers. The hanyou shrugged, just as confused.  
  
"It's true!" Kagome said, "You notice that he never gropes ME."  
  
"That's cause he knows I'll tear off both his perverted hands if he does," InuYasha said simply, picking up Kagome's bike. The girl blinked at him a second, then cocked her head.  
  
"Why would you do that for me but not for Sango?"  
  
"Uh... well..." InuYasha looked trapped, his ears twitching. Shippo laughed and started to dance around.  
  
"InuYasha LOOOOOOOVVVEEESSSS Kagome!"  
  
InuYasha pounded the small kitsune into the ground, teeth bared, "Shut UP, you little flea-bitten-"  
  
"Is it true?" Kagome asked, looking at InuYasha expectantly. The hanyou froze, glancing to the well then back to Kagome.  
  
(ears twitch) "Uh, well... um..."  
  
"Is it? Do you LOOOOOVEEE Kagome?!" Shippo squealed, popping right back up into the air. InuYasha flattened his ears, his face growing red.  
  
"What... uh... I don't... um..."  
  
"Spit it out!" Shippo shouted.  
  
"Is it true??" Kagome repeated.  
  
"AGGHHH!!!" InuYasha finally shouted, jumping into the well, "LEAVE ME ALONE!!"  
  
Kagome and Shippo glanced at each other and shrugged, following him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
THE END!!! ^-^ ^-~  
  
Excuse all my weirdness and stuff. Hope you liked my ficcy! (Miroku and Sango are great together! I just hope I didn't screw it up ^-~) CIAO!!!  
  
(*cough* Well, a smart know-it-all reader might notice that coolwhip and strawberries probably need to be refrigerated or else they go bad. That's not the point. It's my fic, and rules work differently in fics ^-~ *lol* so there!!)  
  
(Oh, and I think coolwhip and strawberries taste good. So there =P) ... (By the way, you can ignore me now. DFS is just babbling ^-^;;) 


End file.
